Alexander Berdnikov

In this name that follows East Slavic naming customs, the patronymic is Vasilyevich and the family name is Berdnikov.

Alexander Vasilyevich Berdnikov (Russian: Алекса́ндр Васи́льевич Бе́рдников; born April 8, 1953) is a Russian politician, and was Head of the Altai Republic from 2006 to 2019.

Alexander Berdnikov
Александр Бердников
Berdnikov in 2014
5th Head of the Altai Republic
In office 26 January 2006 – 20 March 2019
Preceded by	Mikhail Lapshin
Succeeded by	Oleg Khorokhordin (acting)
Personal details
Born	(1953-04-08) April 8, 1953 (age 72) Gorno-Altaysk, Gorno-Altai AO, Russian SFSR, USSR
Political party	United Russia
Children	1
Profession	Border guard

He took office on January 20, 2006. He was a candidate in the December 2001 election for that position, receiving 9.6% of the vote and coming in sixth place. In 2004, a new law stopped direct elections for Russian administrative division leaders. In December 2005, Berdnikov was nominated by Vladimir Putin and confirmed by the State Assembly of the Altai Republic, succeeding Mikhail Lapshin

Scandals

His 12-year term has been plagued by multiple scandals,^[1] such as the Altaigate scandal.^[2]

In 2017, the Altai newspaper Listok published a transcript of conversations between Aleksandr Berdnikov and a local blogger, in which Berdnikov used obscene and offensive language when referring to ethnic Altai people. Following the publication, Berdnikov issued a public apology, dropped to the bottom of the governors' performance rankings, and left his post two years later.^[3]

Family

Alexander Vasilyevich Berdnikov is married and has a son.^[4]

Awards

• 2013 - Order of Friendship^[5]
• 2003 - Medal of the Order of Merit for the Fatherland, II degree^[5]
• Medals "For Impeccable Service" I, II and III degrees^[5]
• Medal "For assistance to the internal troops"^[5]
• Order of Holy Prince Daniel of Moscow^[5]